BEEKEEPING.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 May 1918, Page 3

BEEKEEPING.

('By "Clematis.") WINTERING BEES. Wo have the quiet time coming for bees. Hives, except those having o yoiuig queen, will be wintered in the lower box which during the season, was the main brood nest. When a super containing honey has bs*n on, put on mat over the frames of the bottom box, or between the two, with the corner turned back to enable the bees to travel, and they will soon carry the honey below, when the top super, or box, oan be taken away to the storehouse. In closing down bees for the winter, put two or three good sack mats, cut to fit tight, over the frames, and see that the lid is waterproof. Keep your bees dry and warm, and they will consume less food. Examine all hives to see that each contains 301b to 401b of sealed honey, and, failing sio, feed with two parts sugar to one of water till the supply of stores are made up. Mix the sugar with boiling -water, stir the mixture till dissolvi J, and when lukewarm feed to the. bees. One of the best feeders is the division-board feeder. Take out two si'k-fiumes and put the feeder in their places. By cutting a hole through the mats near the back end of the feeder, for the spout of the funnel, the syrup can be put in without disturbing a bee. fees in good order, in most parts of North Taranaki, will breed continuously on through most of the winter. Therefore, the food supply must be closely watched. The longer brood-roaring lasts the more food is consumed. When the bees are dormant, very little food is consumed, but as the dormant period lasts here but a very short time the food supply and the keeping of the bees dry and warm must bo keenly watched.

Galvanised iron and rulbbcroid roofin® make excellent material for hive covers. Look at the fiat, sloping cover at the Winter Show, easily made and absolutely waterproof. LIQUIFYING GRANULATED HONEY. The granulation of honey, or the crystalisation of honey, is taken aa a test of purity and quality. The best part, or practically all; of the 'honey produced in New Zealand granulates, and liquifying on the producer's part must be carried out with care and attention. Honey brought to a high temperature becomes darker in color, and loses flavor, the goad aroma being driven off. Direct heat must not be applied, but ike work should be done by immersing the vessel holding the honey in water, which should be brought up to 140 degrees for white clover honey and about 150 degrees for mixed varieties. At that heat it may take from two to four hours, but it is a process that cannot be hurried, and if you want good results, color, flavor, and aroma, the necessary amount of time must be taken in the work. Skim off any froth that rises to the top, and, in reference to show honey, see that the scum does not stick to the neck of the bottle or jar.

WINTER SHOWS. The New Plymouth Winter Show has for years been to the fore in trfe display of honey, etc., at its show in June. The classes in the honey section this .vear are the same as last year, and the prizes good. In class '26 C, collection of honey, the prize-money was ra'i a-stated in the schedule, tut the secretary informs me that the prizes are: First, 255; second, 10s 6d. Entries close next Saturday, at 9 p.m., and I trust beekeepers will eater well in the various classes. Mrs. P. W. Sandford, who won the silver cup outright last year, has re-donated it again to the society, so will not be a competitor this year. The North Tarama/ki Bedceepers' Association is giving a silver medal as a points' prize, to competitors who have never won a prize previous to the show.